NFL AFC CITIES RECIPE #5
BALTIMORE
ROASTED SWEET POTATOES WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND OLD BAY SEASONING
You don’t have to save your Old Bay Seasoning for just crab cakes. It is a great accompaniment to many dishes and really adds tremendous flavor if used wisely. And yes, it is the main seasoning for the signature food of Baltimore, the crab cake. I have chosen to stay away from anything crab related for our entry this week. Shocking, I know, as crabs are so synonymous with the entire Chesapeake area. I make this dish so often and it is such a great side dish for so many entrees that I thought I would share this simple recipe with you this week.
If you’ve never been to Baltimore in the past 25 years you are really missing something. There is a significant reason many cities looking to recapture some of their past glory use Baltimore as their role model. The Inner Harbor is a real treat with many great shops, restaurants, and museums to stroll around. Not far is Camden Yards which is a fantastic place to take in a ball game. Baltimore is not just about crabs when it comes to seafood. I’ve had some of the best oysters I’ve ever tasted on the shores of Maryland. The Chesapeake boasts many jewels of the sea. I urge you to pay a visit and have a tall frosty one and enjoy some of the good stuff.
THE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. Sweet Potatoes or Yams
1 TBSP Olive Oil
2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
3 TBSP Old Bay Seasoning, plus more if desired
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
- Peel the Sweet Potatoes and cut into 3” inch pieces. Place into a large bowl.
- To the bowl add the Olive Oil and with clean hands massage into the Sweet Potatoes
- Add the Vinegar and Old Bay Seasoning to the bowl and mix well
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper large enough to fit all the Sweet Potatoes in a single layer
- Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until Sweet Potatoes are nice and toasty brown
- Adjust seasoning if you desire by adding more Old Bay after roasting
Serve as a side dish to your favorite meat, poultry, or seafood entrée
WINE PAIRING: Since this is a side dish it depends on what you are having as an entrée. To really capture the Baltimore experience, serve the Sweet Potatoes alongside your favorite burger or sandwich with one of Maryland’s famous local Beers. I am particularly fond of National Premium Beer which has been in the area for decades and is now making a great comeback.
Doin That Ragu 